Every year Abingdon Police respond to hundreds of traffic
collisions. Most of these crashes result in property damage only. About
15% result in injuries to someone involved in the crash. Here are some
pointers on what to do if you are involved in a collision.
- Assess yourself and everyone in
your vehicle for injuries. If someone in your car is injured, try to
stay calm. Do not leave the vehicle unless you see that staying in
the vehicle might be more hazardous than getting out, such as the vehicle smoking
heavily, an air bag deployment or you can see flames.
- Check with the occupants of
other vehicles to see if anyone else is injured. Give assistance as
needed within your abilities.
- Report the collision to the
police. In Abingdon, the number is 276-676-6277 for non-emergency
response and 9-1-1 for emergency response. It is the
driver's responsibility to report the collision, unless the
driver is incapacitated. In that case, the responsibility falls to
passengers.
- While waiting for the police to
arrive, gather the information that the officer will need. This
information will be used for the collision report and will be
exchanged with the other driver(s). This report will provide you and your insurance company
with documentation of the accident.
This
information includes:
a) Your
driver’s license
b) The
vehicle registration
c) Proof
of insurance for the vehicle
Failure to report the accident from/near the crash scene can
lead to loss of evidence and significantly reduce the thoroughness of the crash
report.
Remember, the best preparation for a collision is to avoid
it. Keep your speed within the posted limits and allow ample room between
your vehicle and the one ahead of you. Do not respond to aggressive
behaviors by other motorists. Also, allow for plenty of time to get to
your destination so you are not tempted to exceed the speed limit or exceed the
safe speed for road conditions.
